


It Had to be Her...

by Baneismydragon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bisexuality, Friendship, Humor, Marinette doesn't know yet, Multi, One sided reveal, Redemption, Reveal, accidental reveal, love triange, sort of, unrequited crushes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-14 17:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10541139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baneismydragon/pseuds/Baneismydragon
Summary: Adrien is used to listening to Chloe's "secrets". He's not used to them changing his life...What he thought would be a simple conversation about his friend's unrequited celebrity crush turns into one of the most revealing conversations he could have ever imagined





	

Adrien watched as Chloe took a delicate sip of her tea, his own cup sitting untouched before him. 

“You know,” she said demurely, “I am all for national pride but the English really are right. Afternoon tea is quite delightful.” She patted her lips unnecessarily with her napkin and reached for a macaron from the elegantly arranged dessert tray. 

When Adrien had gotten her frantic texts insisting that he come over to help her deal with an  _ emergency _ , this was not what he had expected to find. 

“Chloe what’s going on?” he ask. 

She glared at him, casting a deliberate look to his untouched tea. 

He rolled his eyes and took a drink. 

Chloe’s scowl morphed back into her usual haughty grin as she nibbled on her treat before clearing her throat. 

“Adrichou.” Adrien winced at the nickname. “I have called you over here because there is something extremely important that I need to talk to you about.” 

“So you said in your two dozen messages. I was half expecting to find out the hotel was on fire.”

“Don’t be silly that is hardly an emergency. Daddy has people to take care of that sort of thing. This is far more serious.” 

“Clearly,” Adrien muttered dryly, popping a truffle into his mouth. Leave it to Chloe to consider something that one could discuss over tea and pastries to be an emergency. Though, to be fair, the food was excellent. 

“As I am sure you noticed I have not been acting like myself lately,” Chloe continued, “and while I have been trying my hardest to deal with the situation, I think it is best that I come clean to someone. You were the obvious choice.” 

Adrien raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t really say he had noticed any major change in Chloe’s behaviour in the past week, other than her perhaps being a little more irritable. 

“Now Adrikins, what I am about to tell you needs to be handled with the utmost discretion.” She narrowed her eyes. “You can keep a secret can’t you?” 

“Yes Chloe, I promise I will keep whatever this is a secret,” Adrien said gobbling up one of the macarons and taking another sip of his tea. 

“I’m serious, this is bigger than any secret I have told you before. Bigger than any secret you have  _ ever _ had to keep before.” 

“I think I can manage,” Adrien said, hiding a smile behind his teacup. 

“It’s about Ladybug.” 

Adrien choked on his tea. 

“Sorry, I’m… sorry. Please continue,” he managed between coughs, desperately trying to bite back a smile, as Chloe blushed and fussed with the ends of her sweater. 

Adrien carefully fixed his expression into a look of absolute attention and openness. 

Chloe’s less than subtle infatuation with Ladybug wasn’t exactly a secret to Adrien- or probably to anyone else for that matter. But if his friend wanted to come out, he was determined to be as supportive as possible. 

This also explained why she hadn’t simply confided in Sabrina. 

“Now as you know Ladybug is one of my best friends.”

“Sure,” Adrien said, figuring this wasn’t the time to point out that Ladybug normally seemed more inclined to swallow shards of broken glass than spend extra time with Chloe. 

“And she is just amazing. Selfless, brave, beautiful.” 

“True,” Adrien agreed, his own face flushing slightly as he thought of his Lady. 

“So you can see where my feelings got a little… conflicted.” 

Adrien reached out and took Chloe’s hand and gave it a reassuring pat.

“I mean… I knew she was cute, and I won’t deny I thought about it a couple of times just for fun, but I never expected this!” 

“Chloe,” Adrien said with a reassuring smile, “what you are going through is perfectly understandable. It’s totally normal to feel confused about something like this. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad.” 

“I mean this was never supposed to happen! I was never supposed to have  _ these _ sorts of feelings about  _ her _ ,” Chloe moaned. 

“It’s ok Chlo,” Adrien said squeezing her hand, “I am with you on this 100%.” 

“I mean, it’s Ladybug. She was my idol, my best friend… She wasn’t supposed to be Marinette Dupain-Cheng of all people.” 

“WAIT, WHAT????” 

“Marinette is Ladybug,” Chloe said, looking surprised at his outburst.

“But.. how… why would you think… how do you know that?” Adrien stammered, his heart pounding unnaturally loudly in his chest. 

“I saw her transform last week after the akuma attacked the school. Remember the guy who was all pissy because no one cared about his stupid little charity drive?” 

“You saw… you saw her…” 

Chloe nodded. “I mean one second it’s Ladybug and the next- Poof! There is this flash of pink light and then there is Marinette, talking to this strange little red thing. Kinda like the plushie I gave to Prince Ali except this one was alive!” 

“Oh my God,” Adrien breathed. 

“I know I couldn’t believe it either.” 

“Oh my God,” he said again, shooting up from his chair and pacing excitedly around the room. 

“Adrien!” 

“It’s been her the whole time… the WHOLE TIME!” Adrien shouted, unable to stop the excited grin from breaking out across his face. 

“Adrien sit back down, this is about me and my feelings!” Chloe shouted, leaping out of her own seat in annoyance. 

“Marinette is Ladybug,” Adrien said, running over and picking Chloe up and twirling her around, “this is great!” 

“No it’s not, it’s a disaster, haven’t you been listening at all!” 

Adrien burst into peals of happy laughter, continuing to dance around the room with an irate Chloe in his arms.

“Oh my God Adrikins put me down.” 

“Sorry, just… this is great! It’s wonderful! I never thought… I know her! I know Marinette.” Adrien laughed. 

“Of course you know her, you are in the same class you twit.” 

“And she’s Ladybug,” he sighed. He had found her. He had found his Lady. True it wasn’t exactly what he had expected, but Marinette was amazing. A little shy perhaps, but he could see it in a strange roundabout way. They could actually get to know each other now. Maybe they could be as good of friends in their daily life as they were behind the masks. Perhaps she might even be willing to give him a chance at being something more someday. 

“Adrien!” 

“Ow!” Adrien yelped as Chloe smacked him across the arm, “what was that for?” 

“You were totally spacing out after going all,” she waved her hands around, “Cinderella on me. With the dancing and the laughing and the freaking out. Why are you acting like this anyways, 10 seconds ago you were acting like you knew what I was talking about.” 

“How was I supposed to know that Marinette was Ladybug?”

“I don’t know! You know things! Maybe your father told you!” 

“Why would my father know who Ladybug is?” 

“Because he is one of those creepy secretive old people who knows way more than they are letting on!”

“That is the stupidest thing I have heard you say,” Adrien said flatly, crossing his arms. 

“Well what did you think I was talking about?” Chloe shot back. 

“I thought you were coming out about liking girls,” Adrien admitted.  

“Why would I need to do that?” Chloe asked, her expression going from one of annoyance to one of utter incredulity. 

“Because you shouldn’t feel like you have to hide your feelings just because some people are close minded,” Adrien said.

“No I mean why would I  _ need _ to do that, everyone already knows,” Chloe replied.

“Oh,” Adrien said stupidly. 

“Oh Adrichou did you not realize…” Chloe gave him as close to a reassuring smile as possible for her, “this isn’t anything against you, I like boys too, I wasn’t just projecting onto you because of your delicate features.” 

“I knew that you were bi Chloe,” Adrien said, his eyebrows furrowing in annoyance,“and my features aren’t that delicate,” he muttered. 

“Then why were you acting like it was some big secret?” 

“Well you never said anything about it!” 

Chloes eyes narrowed in annoyance. 

“What am I supposed to walk around in a shirt that say’s  _ I’m Bisexual ask me how _ ?” 

“No, I just meant-” 

“Swings both ways what’s it to you?” 

“Chloe-”

“Thank’s to Ladybug we’re all getting Bi… actually that’s clever. Think your dad would make me a custom shirt?” 

Adrien rubbed his temples, feeling the beginning of a headache coming on. He sat back down at the small table and tried to gather his racing thoughts. 

“Ok,” he said, “we’ve gotten off track here.”

“Clearly,” Chloe grumbled, dropping back into her own seat. 

“So Marinette is Ladybug.” 

“Yes. We covered that. And stop smiling like an idiot.” 

“I can’t help it! Marinette is Ladybug!” 

“Why in God’s name would that be something to smile about?”

“Because I am in love with her,” Adrien blurted out before he could catch himself. 

Chloe let out a startled gasp and stood up so fast her chair fell over. 

“You take that back Adrien Agreste,” she pointed a finger accusingly at him, “you take it back right now.” 

“No,” Adrien said, feeling surprisingly calm for the first time since the revelation, “I’m not taking it back.”  

“You barely even talk to Marinette, and we all know she doesn’t talk to you, so you can’t be… wait… you’re trying to tell me that you are in love with Ladybug?” 

“Yes,” Adrien said meeting her eyes with a look of steely resolve.  

“So that mystery girl that you’ve been obsessing over for months was LADYBUG?” 

“Yes.”

“No!” Chloe cried stomping her foot in annoyance, “you are not allowed to be in love with her. You don’t even know her.” 

“I know her better than you do!” Adrien argued. 

“Yeah right, you’ve been rescued like twice. I get saved by Ladybug at least once a week.” 

“I don’t think that’s gonna score you any points Chloe, seeing as you usually caused the akuma in the first place.” 

“Whatever, Ladybug doesn’t care, she adores me,” Chloe huffed. 

Adrien let out a small snort.  

“Yeah that explains why she gets mad and storms off half the time. You know that makes so much more sense now,” Adrien said, mentally piecing together the two girls who he now knew were the same person.  

“What does?”   
“That Ladybug is always leaving me to take care of you. After all, it’s not like you ever made a secret of how much you despise Marinette,” Adrien said getting back to his own feet.  

“I don’t de- wait… what do you mean leaving  _ you _ to take care of me?”

Adrien felt his stomach drop.

“Uh…”   
“No… no, no, no!” Chloe cried, her eyes widening in shocked understanding. “Tell me it’s not true Adrien!” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he tried, his hand reflexively reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. 

“Don’t lie to me!” 

“Ok you’re going to have to pick one,” Adrien said sarcastically, realizing that it was a lost cause. 

“This is so unfair!” Chloe whined. 

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you-” 

“Not that. I get how the superhero thing works, I’m not an idiot.” 

“Oh,” Adrien said, surprised. 

“I mean you can’t be Chat Noir, it will ruin everything.” 

“Why?”   
“Because everyone knows that Chat Noir is totally in love with Ladybug. I mean of course he is, she is perfect. And he gets to be with her all the time. So if you’re Chat Noir, that means this isn’t just some stupid celebrity crush.” 

“And why is that such a bad thing?” 

“Because Marinette’s already in love with you!” 

Adrien was sure that his heart stopped beating. Blood pounded in his ears as Chloe’s words repeated over and over in his mind. 

“What? With… since when?” he breathed, hardly daring to hope. 

“Since like the second day of school. Why do you think she acts like such an idiot around you?” 

“She doesn’t act like an idiot,” he defended reflexively. This was hardly the first time he and Chloe had fought about his friends, although Chloe had failed to mention before now that Marinette’s strange behavior and inconsistent bouts of shyness might have an ulterior motive. 

“Yeah because being unable to form complete sentences and tripping over oneself is such normal, sophisticated behavior,” Chloe grumbled, crossing her arms and staring at the floor. “This is a complete disaster.” 

Adrien said nothing, instead he simply tried to breath normally as his heart pounded in his chest. Marinette was Ladybug… and she was in love... with him. What did that mean for them? And if she was in love with him why had she never show an interest in his flirtations as Chat Noir? 

Of course, to be fair, he hadn’t exactly been pining over Marinette save for a few innocent flirtations, so he wasn’t in much of a position to throw stones. Perhaps they were still a ways off from a perfect happily ever after, but at least it seemed like a pretty promising start. 

He shook himself out of his internal musings to see Chloe watching him with a stricken expression. 

“So are you gonna run off and confess your undying love to Marinette now?” she demanded, though her voice came out more hurt than angry. 

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Adrien said with a slight shrug. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean it’s not like I can just walk up to her and be like hey Marinette, by the way I’m Chat Noir, wanna make out? Being in love with someone doesn’t suddenly make everything easy. We still have to get to know each other and figure things out. For all I know she’ll run for the hills the minute she finds out I am Chat Noir.”

“Doubtful,” Chloe snorted, “that girl is pathetically in love with you. It’s hard to believe that Ladybug can be such a spaz. It’s like this whole other hidden layer that I never knew existed. Like if someone saw me without my makeup.”

“You look fine without your make up Chloe,” Adrien said for the millionth time. 

Chloe was quiet for a minute. 

“Maybe. But it’s not the same. Without my makeup and my hairspray and absolutely killer wardrobe, I might not look perfect all the time. When I know I look perfect I don’t have to worry about what people think because there is nothing to criticize. Everything is flawless so I know they have to adore me.”

Adrien opened his mouth to argue but hesitated. “What do you mean?” he asked quietly. 

“I mean it’s easy to be perfect when people are only seeing what you want them to see. That you can just hide away the parts that are weird or embarrassing,” she shot him a pointed look, “or pathetically nerdy.” 

“I suppose.” 

“Oh come on Adrikins, you know that better than anyone.” 

Adrien didn’t reply, but he couldn’t hold her gaze either. 

“Maybe,” she continued softly, “Maybe that’s what being Ladybug is for Marinette. It’s her best version of herself. A chance for her to show off the amazing person buried underneath all the annoying, hopeless bumbling.” 

“Wow, Chloe that was surprisingly insightful.” 

“Deep, deep down.” 

“Chloe…” 

“I mean come on, it’s Marinette! You can’t tell me I’m the only one a little disappointed by all this! I mean she’s even worse around you. She’s practically a walking disaster zone when you’re around, and she’s constantly trying to undermine me in front of you what with me being your best friend and all.” 

“She fights with you because you bully her, and the rest of the class,” Adrien said flatly, wondering if this argument was ever going to sink in, “I don’t think it has anything to do with me, it’s about being a good person.” 

“But she never stood up to me until you came to school,” Chloe countered, “so if it was really about my behavior it wouldn’t be some new thing. She is just trying to impress you by making me look bad.” 

“Or maybe,” Adrien said with a sidelong glance and his friend “she found the confidence to do what she has always wanted to do. Maybe she started wearing make up.” 

“Oh God no, are you kidding? That girl barely even uses foundation. Have you seen those freckles?” 

“I meant metaphorical make up.” 

“Oh right.” 

“Also I happen to like the freckles.”

“You would.” 

Chloe marched over and flopped down onto her bed, grabbing her ladybug pillow and cuddling it to her chest. After a few moments of silence Adrien came over and gingerly sat on the edge of the bed beside her. She glared at him for a moment but then repositioned herself so that her head was pillowed against his thigh. She smiled up at him flirtatiously and Adrien rolled his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he should be annoyed or flattered that he did seem to have lost his spot as Chloe’s ‘back up plan’. 

They sat in companionable silence, Chloe snuggling against him and Adrien absently plaiting her ponytail into thin braids. 

“She’s never going to choose me is she? I mean, how would I even go about making Marinette not hate me,” Chloe said softly. She looked up at Adrien with a vulnerability he had rarely seen in the last few years. 

“I don’t know Chlo,” he replied honestly, “but you’re never going to know unless you try.” 

“Do you think she would be friends with me if I was nicer?” 

“I certainly hope she would. It might take some time though.” 

“And you’ll help me?”

“Of course," he smiled down at her, "you’re my friend.” 

“Does that mean you will back off from trying anything romantic until I have had time to convince her of how awesome I am can be?” she said batting her eyelashes and grinning.

Adrien laughed. “I said I was your friend, not that I am a saint.” 

Chloe pouted. “It’s not fair you know. I saw her first.” 

“Actually I highly doubt that. I’m Chat Noir remember?”

“Yeah but I saw her first as Marinette.” 

“And how has that been working out for you?”

“Shut up,” she grumbled, slumping back down on the bed. Adrien patted her shoulder sympathetically. 

“But If you guys do get together, will you at least try to get her to spend time with me? Make her see that I can be a good person? After all you both will still be  my best friends right?” she whispered, that insecure vulnerable tone sneaking back into her voice as she stared out into her room. 

“I can't make promises for Marinette, but I’ll try,” Adrien promised "and no matter what we will still be friends ." 

Chloe nodded, still not looking at him and shifted so that she could cuddle closer against him, still clutching the plushie Ladybug to her chest. Adrien watched her. After a minute or so her downcast expression lessoned, and he caught her biting her lower lip and her brows furrowed slightly in concentration. 

“You’re already trying to come up with a plan to break us up aren’t you,” Adrien teased, laughing when he saw Chloe’s eye widen in surprise and a soft blush flare across her face. 

“Adrikins I would never,” Chloe protested dramatically sitting up and giving him her most innocent expression. “Now if after spending time with me she comes to realize that I am by far the prettier and more charming blonde of the class and decides  _ on her own _ that I am clearly the better choice-”

“In that case I will admit my defeat and wish you both the best,” Adrien laughed, holding on hand over his heart. 

“You could go hook up with Cesaire. You two are both overly cheerful nerds, I am sure you would be very happy,” Chloe said slyly. 

“Alya’s dating Nino,” Adrien replied dryly. 

“So?” 

“So I am not going to steal my best friend’s girlfriend.” 

“Say’s the person trying to steal my Ladybug. Besides I didn’t say anything about breaking them up. I am sure Cesaire wouldn’t mind having a harem. Just go show up at her bedroom window as Chat Noir, she’ll probably jump you right then and there. She’s definitely got a bit of a superhero complex that one.” 

“I do not use my secret identity to run around getting laid,” Adrien huffed.  

“You could have fooled me with that outfit,” Chloe muttered. 

Adrien elbowed her playfully in the arm.   

“You are something else Chlo.” 

“Yeah but you love me,” she said grinning. Her smile was bright, her makeup still perfectly in place, even if her hair was a little ruffled from his earlier fussing. To anyone else, she might have looked the same as any other day. 

But Adrien could see the worry still lurking in her eyes. The fear that comes from wondering if everyone in your life is going to just disappear. That you will one day simply outlive your usefulness and be left alone, wondering if you brought it on yourself. 

He reached over and pulled her into a tight hug. 

“Yes, yes I do.” 


End file.
